Lacking space locals transform their rooftops

People socialise on the rooftop of the Brown Hotel, which serves as a bar and event venue in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 14, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Children prepare drinks in a bar on the rooftop of an Armenian-Christian family who has been living in the same house since 1945, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 10, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Ana Ashury, a mixed-media artist, stores away her artwork on her rooftop in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv, Israel, November 19, 2017. While she works as a video artist most of her time, Ana has recently started to use her rooftop work space as a workshop for collage creations. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Hana Wimberly (L), 26, and Emanuel Cohen, 36, spend their evening together on a roof of a building in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 18, 2017. Hana turned her barren, cement rooftop into her own outdoor haven with just a few mix matched chairs, a couch and a wooden table. "For more than anything it's a place for me to feel very connected to the city," she said. "Tel Aviv, as much as there is to do, going to a bar and spending 50 shekels ($15 USD) on a drink gets exhausting." REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Alexander Flaschenberg, 60, sits on a chair placed on top of a table, in order to enjoy view of the sea from his rooftop in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 28, 2017. The rooftop is a personal haven for Alexander, giving him an opportunity to unwind from his work. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Guy Elhadad, 26, lies on a sofa on his rooftop in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 24, 2017. For Guy his rooftop is his creative incubator, "where we can do whatever we want because we don't need the approval of others". He and two roommates host yoga, music and art sessions there and built a spare sleeping place for people passing through. Elhadad said he loves Tel Aviv and through his rooftop can help make it bloom. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Israeli soldiers prepare for a parade in front of the master-sergeant who is checking their appearance, on the rooftop of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Galgalatz radio station, in Tel Aviv, Israel, January 7, 2018. This routine takes place twice a week in a location decided by the master-sergeant and occurs frequently on the station's rooftop. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Emanuel Cohen, 36, takes a shower on his rooftop, which he also uses as a small garden to grow herbs and vegetables in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 24, 2017. If the weather permits, Emanuel uses his outdoor shower instead of the indoor shower every day. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

People participate in a yoga class on the rooftop of Tel Aviv municipality building, Tel Aviv, Israel, October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Instructors Doron Turgeman (L), 35, and Michael Alimelech, 26, train on the rooftop of the building in which they give courses, as part of their Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defence technique, in the city of Givatayim, east of Tel Aviv, Israel, November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Maayan Saidi, 28, smokes a cigarette on her rooftop which is located next to a multi-storey car park in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

People bathe in the swimming pool of an entertainment park on the rooftop of the Azrieli mall in central Tel Aviv, Israel, October 11, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

A man sits on a sofa on a rooftop shared with other tenants of the building in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Musician Iyar Semel, 38, plays an oud on his rooftop garden, where he and his two other flatmates grow herbs and vegetables, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 13, 2017. Iyar planted an organic garden on his rooftop, with compost, vegetables, fruit trees and a shower. It all allows him to merge his ecological lifestyle with the restraints of urban space. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Arieh Ramot (L) and Orna Ramot sit on their rooftop and watch peacocks that often find their way to the roof after being fed by a neighbour, in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 20, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

People celebrate a birthday party on the rooftop of the Speakeasy bar in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 13, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Aviah Morag, 25, sunbathes on his rooftop which is equipped with a small pool, a shower and deck chairs in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 10, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

A woman feeds birds in her daily sunset ritual on her rooftop in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 20, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Moni Chorev (L), 60 and Gilly Chorev (R), 59, sit on their rooftop terrace, which Gilly planned and set up with the help of a landscape designer in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 16, 2017. REUTERS/Corinna Kern

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Tel Aviv, Jan 15 (Reuters) - When it comes to the high life in Tel Aviv, residents of the Mediterranean metropolis need look no further than their own rooftops.

With space always tight in Israel's fast-paced economic and entertainment capital, rooftops have been transformed into retreats with thriving outdoor gardens, restaurants, yoga, art and music studios, spaces for krav maga martial arts classes and even guest houses.

Hana Wimberly, 26, turned her barren, cement rooftop into her own outdoor haven with just a few mix matched chairs, a couch and a wooden table.

"For more than anything it's a place for me to feel very connected to the city," she said. "Tel Aviv, as much as there is to do, going to a bar and spending 50 shekels ($15 USD) on a drink gets exhausting."

Her lifestyle also connects her and her family to their past: her grandmother had a similar rooftop salon in Tel Aviv.

Iyar Semel, a 38-year-old musician, planted an organic garden on his rooftop, with compost, vegetables, fruit trees and a shower. It all allows him to merge his ecological lifestyle with the restraints of urban space.

For Guy Elhadad, 26, his rooftop is his creative incubator, "where we can do whatever we want because we don't need the approval of others."

He and two roommates host yoga, music and art sessions there and built a spare sleeping place for people passing through. Elhadad said he loves Tel Aviv and through his rooftop can help make it bloom.

(Reporting by Miriam Berger; Editing by Jeffrey Heller, William Maclean)